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WiscWeb - Accordion Panel Page Element

This document explains how to add a Accordion Panel to your pages.

In this document:

Purpose and use

Accordion Panels allow you to display large amounts of content on a single page by partially displaying the content and hiding the rest behind panels. Users can then click on the panels to see the rest of the information. This page element works best when the content naturally divides into sections, which an be used as the different panels.

It is recommended that you not use accordions in cases where most or all of the content on the page is needed in order to find answers to questions. More information about this is outlined in the Nielsen Norman Group documentation on accordions.

Accordion Panels are available in one- and two-column content layouts.

Please be aware of these concerns when using accordion panels:

  • You should not use Accordion Panels if you need to directly link to the content of one of the panels.
  • Any information that requires a direct link should be its own page and not a panel.
  • You cannot directly link to a specific panel.
  • Too many panels on a single page could lead to data load issues
  • Do not copy/paste one accordion panel to another without using the Paste as Text option
  • Do not use the same title for multiple panels on a single page

Accordion panel example

Adding an Accordion Panel

  1. Navigate to the page on which you want to add an Accordion Panel.
  2. Scroll to the Primary Content Area and the Layout on which you want to add an Accordion Panel.
  3. At the bottom of that Layout, click on Add Page Element.
  4. On the Page Element list, click on Accordion Panel.

Using an Accordion Panel

Accordion Panels have two fields for you to fill out, the title and the text area. The title will appear at the top of the panel and displays when it is open or closed. The text block appears beneath the title and functions the same as the Text Block Page Element. For all of the options available in the Text Block, see WiscWeb - Text Block Page Element.

default accordion panel screen in wordpress

Adding and Rearranging Panels

There are two ways to add new panels.

  • Add Accordion Panel Button: This button appears at the bottom of all of your panels. Clicking it will add a new panel at the bottom of your Accordion Panels.

  • The Plus (+) and Minus (-) Symbols: On the right side of each panel, mousing over the gray strip will show a plus (+) symbol and a minus (-) symbol. Clicking the plus (+) will add a panel above the panel you've selected, and clicking the minus (-) will add a panel below the panel you've selected.

Animated image demonstrating adding a new panel

You can also rearrange the panels after you've added them. To do this, mouse over the left column and you'll see numbers appear. These numbers coincide with the order of the panels as they appear on the page. Click and drag the panels to where you want them to appear. For example, if you want the third panel to appear second, navigate to the third panel, click and drag in the left column to above the second panel, and release the mouse. This should move the panel from third to second, and the second panel should now be third.

Animated image of the process of reordering accordion panels

Troubleshooting

  • The most common issue with the accordion panel is that panes are not expanding. This is typically related to content that has been copied and pasted in. It carries over random code that can mess with the display of the accordion. Please toggle to the Text tab (i.e. source code) and search for anything that looks like a <div> starting tag or </div> ending tag and remove them. If you run into any issues, please reach out to the WiscWeb team via the Customer Support Form


Keywordsarea, embed, text, text block, open, close, shorten, content, layout, pane, display, accordionsDoc ID68989
OwnerMatt G.GroupWiscWeb
Created2016-11-23 15:06:32Updated2024-07-25 08:27:40
SitesDoIT Help Desk, WiscWeb
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